The results demonstrated that the levels of pStat3and pNF-κB p65 were significantly upregulated after ME49 infection, and downregulated after depletion of BFD2 (Fig 2B) Simultaneously, qRT-PCR was used to quantify Il1b, Ifng, and Cd86 transcripts in cells infected with T. gondii. Here, IFNG is linked to infection.